Category Archives: Judges

As I read the story of Samson, several things strike me. Unlike the other times in the books of Judges, the people weren’t crying out to God for help from the Philistines. There was no sign of repentance at all … Continue reading →

As I look back at the book of Judges, I guess I came in knowing it was a dark book, but going through it this year, I realize that even more. It was a time when even the judges that … Continue reading →

We now come to the epilogue of Judges. The next couple of stories seem to be out of sequence with the rest, and probably happened shortly after the death of Joshua, as Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron was still the … Continue reading →

“He had so much potential. What a waste.” How often do we hear these words. We see this in athletes a lot of time. A person has a lot of natural physical skills, and yet because of their inflated ego, … Continue reading →

It’s amazing how often Jesus seems to appear in the Old Testament. And this appears to be another case of Jesus appearing as a messenger (the word “angel” basically means “messenger”) for his Father. This time he appears to a … Continue reading →

I sometimes think that the politically correct movement is meant simply to give people reasons to get upset about something. I understand that sometimes people say things that are offensive, but I think sometimes that there are people who are … Continue reading →

This is one of the more difficult passages in scripture to interpret. Did Jephthah really sacrifice his daughter on an altar to God? And if he did, did God approve of this action? We’ve already addressed the second question in … Continue reading →

The Israelites were definitely a fickle people. It showed not only in their relationship with God, but also in their relationship with a man named Jephthah. In fact, there’s a very definite parallel shown here. Jephthah had been rejected by … Continue reading →

There’s an old saying that says, “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.” The point being, of course, that sometimes what we wish so desperately for is not always a good thing. After being in the … Continue reading →

When I learned about Gideon in Sunday School and Bible clubs, the only stories I ever remember hearing about were his encounter with God and the battle against the Midianites. Our teachers never touched on the darker side of Gideon. … Continue reading →

There are times that we read things in the Bible, and we see people, even the heroes of the Bible, do things that seem terrible to us. And we then ask ourselves, “Did God really approve of this? Did God … Continue reading →

When someone lashes out at us with an unfair attack (or to us, what seems like an unfair attack), how do we respond? The natural response is to attack back. To return harsh word for harsh word. Another response is … Continue reading →

Who are you putting your faith in? That seemed to be the question that God was asking Gideon. Gideon had gathered 32,000 men to fight against the Midianites. But God said, You have too many men for me to deliver … Continue reading →

In a lot of ways, this passage is similar to the one of God’s call on Moses. In both cases, you have men who lacked any kind of self confidence, but God called and used them anyway. In this case, … Continue reading →

How many times do we get in trouble because of our bad decisions, and people tell us, “Well what did you expect?” Or “Don’t expect any sympathy from me.” Or “Well, you got what you deserved.” And it’s true. The … Continue reading →

Scottie Pippen played with Michael Jordan during the Chicago Bulls’ championship years in the 1990s. He was one of the best forwards of all time, and after Jordan’s first retirement, he helped lead the Bulls to the playoffs as one … Continue reading →

All of us have role models. For some of us, it’s our mom or dad. For others, it was a teacher or grandparent. As we’re growing up, they’re vital in our development. They help shape us. They help us grow. … Continue reading →

There is a repeated theme throughout the book of Judges. It says in Judges 3:7-8, 7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of … Continue reading →

I was reading an article a few years ago, and it was talking about how many young parents in Japan struggle to teach their children morals. The reason: they themselves have no strong convictions of right and wrong. And of … Continue reading →

There are times when God asks us to do what seems impossible. Maybe it’s a task that seems too big for us. Or maybe it’s a sin in our lives we’re struggling with. And we say, “I’m sorry God. I … Continue reading →

Following God’s way is not always easy. God never promised us an easy life. But faced with difficulties, sometimes God’s people seek an easier way. And that’s what happened with the tribe of Dan in the promised land. It says … Continue reading →